GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
1. DO NOT DISTURB WOUND: Keep fingers and tongue away from area. You may invite irritation and bleeding.
2. DO NOT RINSE MOUTH DAY OF SURGERY: Next day you may rinse gently with any mouth wash you desire, as long as you dilute with 50% water (half strength). Warm water with a quarter teaspoon of salt or baking soda is good. Three times a day is sufficient. A hot water bottle or heating pad may feel comfortable against the side of your face, but please restrict to 5 minutes at a time. Continue rinses for next week.
3. FOOD: Keep taking nourishment. Try not to skip a single meal. Begin by heating liquid or soft things such as soups, soft-boiled eggs, fish, dairy products, ice-cream, or well-cooked cereals. As soon as possible get on to solid food. You will feel better, have more strength, less pain, and heal faster, if you continue to eat. Drink all the liquids you desire (coffee, tea, milk, etc.) at least 8 large glasses of water or fruit juices each day.
4. PAIN: Prescription for pain tablets will be given to you. Please follow directions on the bottle. You may need 1 or 2 pain tablets every 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 hours. Take only what you need to be comfortable. Tylenol, Anacin, Advil, Bufferin, etc., usually are not strong enough to stop the pain, but may help pain if you try 2 or 3 tablets every 2 to 6 hours. You may try them if you wish. Be certain to drink at least 8 glasses of fluids during the day when taking the pain tablets.
5. ICE PACKS: An ice pack over the area of surgery for 15 or 20 minutes, then off for 30 or 40 minutes helps to prevent swelling, to prevent pain and to help stop excessive bleeding. Three or four times is sufficient for routine extractions. You may continue until bedtime for impacted wisdom teeth or several extractions. Ice packs are only effective for the first 24 hours following surgery. The next day you may switch to mild heat.
6. BLEEDING: TRY NOT TO SPEAK AND KEEP HEAD ELEVATED AT ALL TIMES:
(1) After your teeth were removed, two gauze sponges were placed on the wound and you were asked to keep your jaws closed tightly for 15 to 20 minutes. This was to help stop the bleeding and keep saliva away from the open tooth socket. You may discard the gauze sponges in 15 to 20 minutes.
(2) Should slight bleeding continue, fold two gauze sponges in half and place over the bleeding area and close your jaws tightly for 15 to 20 minutes to make pressure. This may have to be repeated 4 or 5 times. Slight oozing may continue into the next day.
(3) It also helps to stop bleeding if you will lie down, with the head raised on pillows. Apply your ice pack to that side of cheek. You may expectorate but do not swallow the blood as this will cause nausea. Do not become alarmed or excited. You may phone me. Use moistened tea bag (regular caffeinated, not herbal teas) compress.
7. NAUSEA: The swallowing of blood, the taking of pain tablets, not eating or the operation itself may cause you to feel nausea or upset to your stomach.
8. BONY EDGES: During the healing process, tiny sharp splinters of bone may work up through the gum. If annoying, please return to office for removal.
9. ELIMINATION: Active intestinal action is essential. Any mild laxative you desire is fine.
10. REPORT PROMPTLY: Any condition that appears unusual.
EXPLANATION OF SYMPTOMS
THAT MAY OCCUR
1. SWELLING: Swelling of some extant follows nearly every tooth extraction. This is Nature's way of beginning the healing process. It does not mean infection has set in providing there is no prolonged fever, pain, etc. After the removal of impacted teeth or trimming of the bone, swelling is often quite severe. It is most marked on the 2nd or 3rd day, and begins to disappear on the 4th day.
2. STIFFNESS: Stiffness of the jaws is also Nature's way of resting the bone which needs to be repaired, and usually relaxes about the 4th or 6th day. Warm mouth washes and heat (heating pad, hot water bottle, warm wet towel applied to operated area for 10 to 15 minutes 4 to 6 times a day will be comforting.
3. DISCOLORATION: Black and blue marks on the face are caused by bleeding internally into the checks or chin. This may appear first as a swelling but after the 2nd or 3rd day it may discolor the face yellow, black or blue. It will gradually disappear in a week or ten days. Heat applied to outside may be comforting, but will not greatly speed up the fading process.